IRI Helps Train More Than 15,000 Potential Candidates

May 20, 2005

This month, IRI and its partner organization, the Welfare Association for the Development of Afghanistan (WADAN), trained more than 15,000 potential candidates in 33 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces to help prepare them for the country’s September 18 parliamentary and provincial elections. IRI and WADAN provided participants with details on the elections, the responsibilities of elected officials and information on how to become a candidate. In total, IRI and WADAN conducted 41 events in 33 provinces and distributed nearly 10,000 candidate nomination packets provided by the official Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB). The training, which was covered by local radio and television outlets, was received with much enthusiasm. IRI and its trainers were invited to participate in roundtable discussions across the country.

Now that the candidate registration filing period is closed (as of May 19, 2005), IRI will begin contacting official candidates to inform them of upcoming candidate training activities. The latest candidate nomination numbers from the JEMB are: 1,304 candidates for the Wolesi Jirga (the Lower House of the National Assembly - House of the People) (1,147 men / 157 women) and 854 for the Provincial Council (827 men / 27 women). IRI is the only organization that conducted candidate registration information sessions in Afghanistan.

Also this month, IRI conducted candidate training for women. Working with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, IRI organized an event in Kabul with 550 participants from across the country. In addition to the training, the deputy minister of Women Affairs, the head of the JEMB Gender Unit, and several other young Afghan women discussed the importance of civic and political involvement. Several prominent Afghan women attended the training, including the highest ranking female in the Afghan army. More than 300 candidate nomination packets were distributed at the event. IRI anticipates numerous women candidates for the September elections as a result.

###

A nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing democracy worldwide